Use Mailchimp Free (500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month) or ConvertKit Free (1,000 subscribers). Set up a 3-email automation triggered when someone submits the waitlist form. Replace [FIRST NAME], https://pathtowork.org, and [DATE] with your actual values. These are plain-text style emails — no fancy design — because those get delivered and read more reliably than HTML newsletters.
Hey [FIRST NAME],
You just joined the Path To Work waitlist — and I want to make sure you don't wait around doing nothing when there's something you can start right now.
The Path To Work assessment is already live. No account. No cost. Takes 5 minutes.
Take the Free Assessment →Here's what you'll get:
- A career match score across 6 tracks — tech, trades, healthcare, business, creative, entrepreneurship
- A 4-week personalized roadmap with daily tasks you can start today
- Free certification recommendations matched to your results
- An auto-built resume you can print in under 2 minutes
Why I built this: I'm Reider. I'm a 100% disabled Marine Corps veteran. When I got out, I spent 2 years trying to figure out what came next. Every tool I found was either expensive, vague, or built for people who already had their act together. I built Path To Work for the rest of us.
Take the assessment. Tell me what your top career match was — I read every reply.
Founder, Path To Work
100% Disabled USMC Veteran · Elk Grove, CA
pathtoworkadmin@gmail.com
Hey [FIRST NAME],
Quick one today — no fluff.
The most common question I get: "What's the fastest free cert that actually leads to a job?"
The answer changes by career track, but here are the three I'd put first:
- Google IT Support Certificate (Coursera) — 6 months, free to audit. Gets you into IT help desk at $40K–$55K. Completely free if you apply for financial aid (Google approves almost everyone).
- CompTIA A+ (voucher programs) — Veterans can often get this funded through VR&E or state workforce programs. The credential that opens every IT door.
- OSHA 10 (Construction) — Free or under $30 online. Required for most construction and trades job sites. Takes 1 day.
Path To Work routes you to the right certification for your specific career match. If you haven't taken the assessment yet — it takes 5 minutes and tells you exactly which path fits your strengths.
More real career intel coming your way. Reply anytime — I actually respond.
Path To Work · pathtoworkadmin@gmail.com · (408) 658-9222
Hey [FIRST NAME],
It's been a week since you joined the Path To Work waitlist. I'm writing to you personally — not from a script — because I genuinely want to know two things:
1. Did you take the assessment? If yes, what was your top match? If not, what got in the way? I want to know so I can fix it.
2. Would you be part of the first official Path To Work pilot?
The pilot is free. You get full access to every feature — assessment, roadmap, resume builder, the works. All I ask in return is honest feedback after 30 days. A few sentences about what worked, what didn't, and whether it helped you move forward.
If you work with an organization — a nonprofit, a church, a workforce office, a veterans group — and you think Path To Work could help the people they serve, I'd love to talk about a group pilot too. No cost. Just a conversation first.
Reply to Join the Pilot →Or just reply to this email. I'll see it.
Path To Work is built for people who have been overlooked by every other tool. If that's you — or if you know someone that describes — I'd be honored to prove it works.
Path To Work
Founder, Path To Work
100% Disabled USMC Combat Veteran
Elk Grove, California
pathtoworkadmin@gmail.com
How to Set This Up (Step by Step)
You don't need to know how to code. These platforms handle everything with a visual drag-and-drop editor.
| Step | What to Do | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Create account | Go to mailchimp.com (free up to 500 contacts) or convertkit.com (free up to 1,000 subscribers). Create a free account with your Gmail. | 10 min |
| 2. Create audience | In Mailchimp: Audience → Create Audience → "Path To Work Waitlist." This is the list that people are added to when they submit your form. | 5 min |
| 3. Connect Formspree → Mailchimp | In Formspree (your form tool), go to Integrations → Mailchimp → connect your account → select the Path To Work Waitlist audience. Now every form submission automatically adds people to your list. | 15 min |
| 4. Create the automation | In Mailchimp: Automations → Create → "Welcome new subscribers" → add 3 emails with the timing and content above. Use the email content from this page — copy-paste directly into their editor. | 45 min |
| 5. Replace placeholders | Everywhere you see [FIRST NAME], use Mailchimp's merge tag: *|FNAME|*. Replace https://pathtowork.org with your Netlify URL. Review all 3 emails for typos. | 10 min |
| 6. Test it | Submit the waitlist form with your own email. Verify you receive all 3 emails at the right times. Check that the assessment link works and the CTA buttons render correctly on mobile. | 20 min |
After you get your first 10 real responses to Email 3, take the best quote and add it to the TESTIMONIALS array in pathtowork-mobile.html. Real people saying real things — that's your most powerful marketing asset and it costs nothing.